READ: Ps. 46:1–11: The LORD of hosts is with us …
Psalm 46 was used by Martin Luther in composing his well-known hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” which sounded during the great Reformation.
The Psalm speaks of a conflict with such overwhelming violence that it is compared in verses 3 and 4 to earthquakes in which mountains are moved, and to roaring rivers and seas. This conflict is directed against the city of God, His church.
For the occasion of this Psalm one may think of the time when King Hezekiah stood against the enormous army of the cruel Assyrian king Sennacherib, though it is not further specified. It concerns the struggle between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, with attacks from the great adversary of Christ, Satan, against His church.
Verse 2 says of this that it need not cause fear, for “God is our refuge and strength.” This has also been shown in the past.
We cannot and may not avoid this struggle, but with the help of God as the LORD of hosts the faithful church will never be overwhelmed (Matt. 16:18). The faithful covenant God, I AM WHO I AM, protects us with His invincible heavenly armies.
Thus the LORD already revealed Himself to Jacob at Bethel. Think also of the history in 2 Kin. 6. In Dothan, at Elisha’s prayer, the eyes of his fearful servant are opened. He then sees a multitude of heavenly horses and chariots protecting Elisha and him against the king of Syria and his army.
This LORD is in the midst of His sanctuary, His church (v.6): He dwells there and has fellowship with her. This is even clearer in the New Testament now that Christ, Immanuel (v.11), is with us always through His Spirit, even to the end of the age.
God’s nearness through Christ’s indwelling is also a reason for joy for the church. The streams of the river that bring refreshment in the city symbolize the working of the Spirit (John 7:37; Rev.22:1ff.).
Thus the church and its members can always find rest and strength in God and be certain of the final victory (Rom. 8:37).
How do you experience the comfort of this Psalm?
Singing: Ps. 46:2,3